Thirty-eight percent.

“In your 30s, your mind and your physical ability both work for you. You are more mentally mature in your 30s. The longer you play, the more you learn.”

If you have any baseball IQ, the knowledge curve grows as you get older, but your physical curve is fighting nature after, say, 22. In the past 27 has been the age where high physical ability met adequate baseball knowledge for most people to have their best seasons. Now, with the ability (for various reasons, legal and otherwise) for people to stay closer to their physical prime for longer, it makes sense that one's prime could move on into his 30s. Of course, Pudge's prime was obviously 5-8 years ago, but he's still doing pretty well.

I like his chances. He's not nearly the hitter he was at peak but still good for a catcher.

Even if his bat goes quickly, he could probably last another 10 years as a defense-first backup. Seriously. Henry Blanco still gets paid, Alberto Castillo still has a roster spot after taking a year off, and Sandy Alomar keeps getting jobs even though he can't hit, can't throw, and is past 40.

If Pudge wants 3000, he'll get it.

Didn't Dusty Baker say a player hits his prime at 36? Pudge obviously agrees.

Some active catchers and semi-catchers:
2,930-- Craig Biggio (31st all-time)
2,354-- Ivan Rodriguez
2,326-- B.J. Surhoff
2,042-- Mike Piazza
1,527-- Javy Lopez
1,233-- Sandy Alomar
1,163-- Jorge Posada

Some past catchers:
2,472-- Ted Simmons (85th all-time)
2,356-- Carlton Fisk
2,150-- Yogi Berra
2,092-- Gary Carter
2,048-- Johnny Bench
1,969-- Bill Dickey
1,912-- Gabby Hartnett

Rodriguez has played 1934 of his 1993 starts at catcher. He's got a very decent "outside rim of the inner circle" case.

Even if his bat goes quickly, he could probably last another 10 years as a defense-first backup. Seriously. Henry Blanco still gets paid, Alberto Castillo still has a roster spot after taking a year off, and Sandy Alomar keeps getting jobs even though he can't hit, can't throw, and is past 40.

Don't forget, he's caught ~1900 games. One bad knee injury could zap his ABs.

He'd probably have to do some time at DH as he gets close tho.

Well, certainly Pudge doesn't need 3,000 hits to get into the Hall: he could retire tomorrow and get in. But he's put a lot of mileage on that body, and I wouldn't be surprised if he starts to break down soon. Next season he'll move into fourth place in games caught; only three players have been able to catch 2,000+ games, and two fo them, Fisk and Carter, were arguably better hitters than Pudge (both had higher career OPS+ and did better in career OBP against league avg.).

Some notable catchers and games caught:
Carlton Fisk 2,226
Gary Carter 2,056
Ivan Rodriguez 1,934
Ted Simmons 1,771
Mike Piazza 1,629

We'll see. Unlike Piazza, Pudge doesn't have the power to justify a move to DH or 1B. He's going to have to hold u0p as a catcher.

His move to leadoff helps his hit total this year.

Well, looks like Pudge is a cinch to set the record for hits by a C (as a C) and a not-bad chance at 3,000 hits. He's got an excellent chance at most games caught. He's already a 13-time AS (Berra had 15, Bench had 14, I assume those are tops) and a record 12 gold gloves (Bench 10). He's got an MVP (but otherwise mediocre MVP showings).

His offensive production will fall well short of Bench, Berra, but he'll end up catching many, many more games than they did. I noted in another thread that if he stays as durable post-30 as Fisk and Boone (unlikely obviously), he'll end up with something like 2600-2700 games caught!

Depending on how his offense holds up and of course how long he lasts ... for a defense-first position, he could make a claim as the greatest catcher ever. I wouldn't think any defensive superiority he might have over someone like Bench (which I can't imagine would be very large) would make up for it, but the argument could be made. And remember, Ozzie Smith got 92% of the vote while Carlton Fisk got 80 and even Bench "only" got 96%. IROD might top Bench.

Of course the writers might hold the steroid rumors against him.

Yeah, should any evidence ever surfaces that implicates I-Rod in PEDs, his HOF case gets a lot more complicated. I'm suspicious primarily because several of his Ranger teammates were steroid users (Canseco, Palmeiro, Gonzalez, Palmer).

But barring that, he's a clear first-ballot HOFer and has a good case for being the best catcher of all-time.

I think I-Rod will get to 3000 hits if that's what he wants to do. He is still a legitimately great defensive catcher and guys like that can stick around forever even if they don't hit. Look at Ausmus, and he isn't nearly the hitter a declining Pudge has been the last two years.